| Virtual Private Networks claim to solve majority of the | | | | aspects most discussed with respect to a VPN |
| security problems faced by the enterprises. Most of | | | | technology. Protecting the Privacy of information |
| the issues were related to secure data transfer over | | | | requires some sort of encryption. Private Key |
| the public internet. The internets greatest asset is | | | | encryption and Public Key encryption methods are the |
| ubiquity and openness but this is its greatest weakness | | | | most common methods available presently. Private |
| as well. VPN seems to have been a solution to the | | | | key encryption is a bit problematic as the key has to |
| weakness. | | | | be sent over the internet. Public key systems provide |
| Many technologies have come up and claim to be | | | | communication between unsecured systems and even |
| VPN technologies: SSL VPN, MPLS VPN to name | | | | provide means to exchange of private keys. The |
| some. Some basic questions are how do we define | | | | disadvantage of a public key encryption system is that |
| VPN ? Why do we need a VPN and what are the | | | | it requires more computation. A balance between the |
| technologies used in deploying VPN? | | | | two is the best solution. The DES secret key algorithm |
| Organizations in the past deployed private networks | | | | and Diffie-Hellman public key algorithm can be used in |
| like LAN or WAN for their mission critical applications. | | | | conjunction. The DES can be used to encrypt the |
| A performance predictable and secure infrastructure | | | | traffic and the Diffie-Hellman to produce the secret |
| was the end result. A growing number of businesses | | | | key. |
| cannot afford setting up a private network and existing | | | | Information should not be altered during the transit over |
| networks had to reach out to customers to gain a | | | | the internet. Integrity is ensured using one-way hash |
| market edge. This is the area where the internet | | | | function or Message authentication codes (MAC) or |
| scores its points. Networking basics still present a few | | | | even digital signatures. |
| bottlenecks. Bandwidth constraints, security problems | | | | Authentication is ensuring the identity of the opposite |
| due to increased exposure, threats like spoofing, | | | | party in a communication process. Password |
| session hijacking, sniffing and man-in-the-middle attacks | | | | protection or digital signatures (X.509 standard) are an |
| have exposed data in transit. | | | | ideal method. The process is a complex system of |
| Considering business factors and the risk factors and it | | | | key generation, certification, revocation and |
| may frighten you. A new technology has brought the | | | | management. All this is a part of a PKI: public key |
| risks down for data transit on the internet. Virtual | | | | infrastructure. |
| Private Networks as it is called follows encryption and | | | | Protocols |
| tunneling for the secure transfer of data between two | | | | Separate technologies can be used to provide |
| ends. It extends trust relationships across the cheaper | | | | confidentiality integrity and authentication. Three widely |
| public network. Security and predictable performances | | | | used VPN security protocols are. |
| are a part of this technology. | | | | - IPSec Protocol |
| Its uses are | | | | - Tunneling protocols (PPTP:Point to Point tunneling |
| - Remote users and tele-workers connecting to their | | | | protocol, L2TP: Layer2 Tunneling protocol ) |
| corporate server securely. | | | | - Socks5 |
| - Linking the offices in an enterprise network | | | | Services |
| - Organizations making their e-commerce solutions | | | | Many managed VPN services offer Quality of Service |
| better by extending infrastructure to include partners, | | | | guarantees, which can be an excellent choice for |
| suppliers and customers. | | | | site-to-site connectivity. VPN is an end to end |
| Variety of Technologies | | | | communication solution and it cannot effect the |
| VPN technology has been around for quite sometime. | | | | performance of the middle network and components. |
| Present and future of VPN depend on emerging | | | | This is the reason for the QoS guarantees which are |
| standards that have made it secure and reliable. VPN | | | | basically a marketing gimmick by the ISP. Each ISP has |
| is deployed and marketed more every passing day. | | | | control over its network only and not the entire internet |
| Some products are emerging standards while the old | | | | which makes the QoS flawed. Mission critical |
| are for specific requirements. Each product and | | | | performances are still to be realized but security has |
| technology has it respective strengths and weakness. | | | | to an extent been mitigated. |
| Choosing the technology depends on how the | | | | Author:vpntools.com, presents a secure alternative to |
| problems are addressed and what will be the future | | | | the problems faced on the internet. Networking Basics |
| trends of the present technology. Security is the | | | | , Future of VPN, etc ..... are a few of the topics that |
| present focus of most VPN technologies. | | | | could interest you. Completer end to end security is |
| Confidentiality, Integrity and Authentication are three | | | | achievable and you could find it here. |